The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring objects between two sequential moving-surfaces, and more particularly to a conveyor for pedestrians fitted with such a transfer device.
There are known conveyors comprising a continuous conveyor belt made from a deformable material or from a series of elements with substantially flat transport surfaces, permitting the transportation of pedestrians at a higher speed than a normal walking pace. Such conveyors require an accelerator element between the conveyor belt and the stationary entry floor to gradually accelerate pedestrians from a walking pace to the higher speed of the conveyor belt, and a decelerator element to gradually decelerate pedestrians back to a normal walking pace between the exit of the conveyor belt and the stationary exit floor.
The reference EP-A-0 509 861 discloses a conveyor of the kind defined above. As mentioned in this reference, in order to cross the transition zones between the exit of the accelerator element and the entry of the conveyor belt, and between the exit of the conveyor belt and the entry of the decelerator element, pedestrians must drop from one level to a subsequent transportation element located on a lower level. This drop may cause pedestrians to lose their balance, particularly challenging disabled persons and persons of reduced mobility.